Day 9 – Dispatch from just beyond the Magkgadikgadi Salt Pans

You would be wise to get out of the way of a thirsty elephant. The beasts can destroy a shallow borehole within a few minutes, sucking the source dry and then digging away with tusks and feet to uncover water further beneath the ground. They’ll also topple entire trees, literally flipping them upside down so the water filled roots are accessible for the big beasts. When this happens the farmers pray for rain because when it falls the animals retreat to more traditional open water sources, rather than ravaging their land. 

Today our team is on its final march; the end of our official run but also the beginning of the next phase on the way to the Okavango Delta, the countries traditional water grounds. And we too are praying for rain. The clouds are blowing overhead but we have yet to see the skies erupt, despite our timing so close to the wet season. Chronicling what it looks like is one of our remaining tasks. The thirsty runners will be hoping to finish before it falls.